Joshua 5:15

REFLECTIONS

My soul! in the perusal of this chapter, stand still and see the salvation of God! Behold how thy God puts terror in the hearts of his and thy enemies! when thy God, thy Jesus, shall have conducted thee over Jordan, their hearts shall melt away, neither shall they have the spirit anymore to make their attacks upon thee. In the consciousness of this, I would say, Lord! grant me the true circumcision of the Spirit! lead me, blessed Jesus, to the banqueting house of thy love, and may my soul keep the feast of the true passover, testifying to the whole congregated world of angels and of men, that I seek salvation only in thy blood and righteousness. And when the manna of ordinances shall cease: when, O my Saviour, I shall have done with my day and generation here below: bring me to that country, that promised land and city, whose builder and maker is God: and give me to eat of that hidden manna, which thou hast promised to all thy people. Precious Jesus! do thou manifest thyself to me, as thou didst to thy servant Joshua, as the Captain of the Lord's host; and the captain of my salvation. Was it not in these several appearances of thine? Was it not to give Old Testament saints a token of thy favor, and of the good will thou hadst towards our nature? Was it not to convince them that thou wast longing for the time, when as really and properly man, thou wouldest bear our nature, and perform that great work, which for our redemption sake thou hadst engaged to do, in the covenant made between thy Father and thyself? And now thou hast really and truly become man, and finished the work the Father gave thee to do, wilt thou not to me, and to all thy New Testament believers, agreeably to thy promise, manifest thyself to our souls, otherwise than thou doest to the world? Come dear Jesus, come to my soul in ordinance seasons, in the sweet promises of thy word, in the tokens of thy providences; comfort me, strengthen me, cheer my heart, revive my poor languishing frame, brighten up my evidences, warm my whole soul with thy love; and let me see, and my sole happiness be found in this, that thy love is shed abroad, from thine heart to mine, and that thou, and thou alone, art formed there, the only hope of glory!